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French Revolution
Important Events From the French Revolution -
The Tennis Court Oath
Louis XVI ordered the closure where the Third Estate Assembly met. The Third Estate moved to an indoor tennis court where they pledged not to separate until they had given France a constitution. This became known as the Tennis Court Oath. -
Storming of the Bastille
The people of France continued to dislike the decisions the Assembly was making. They responded by storming toward the Bastille fortress on July 14, 1789, to secure gunpowder and weapons. The troops at Bastille resisted for a few hours before they surrendered to the mob of people. The fall of the Bastille is considered by some as the start of the French Revolution. -
Fuedalism is Abolished
August 4, 1789, the Assembly abolished the entire feudal system. The peasants got their land free and also no longer paid the tithe to the church. Over the course of a few hours, nobles, clergy, towns, provinces, companies and cities lost their special privileges making things a more level field for all citizens. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Assembly published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a charter of human liberties. This document contained the principles that inspired the French Revolution. The basic principle of the Declaration was that all “men are born and remain free and equal in rights”. -
The Woman of Paris March on Versailles
Many people in Paris were hungry and restless. On 10/5/79, a large crowd of protesters, mostly women, began to assemble at Parisian markets. After getting unsatisfactory responses from city officials, the women marched from Paris to the Palace of Versailles. They were convinced that the royal family lived in luxury and were oblivious to the problems of the common people. They stormed the palace, killing several guards and demanded the king to “live among the people”. -
The Arrest of Louis XVI and his Family
King Louis XVI became wary of the direction in which the French Revolution was heading and he feared the safety of his family. On the night of 20th June 1791, the royal family fled dressed as servants with their servants dressed as nobles. However, the next day, the King was recognized, arrested along with his family at Varennes and returned to Paris. He was then suspended by the Assembly and held under guard. The King’s flight had a major impact on public opinion. -
Declaration of the Republic
Following the arrests of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the Legislative Assembly disbanded and was replaced with a new political governing body named the National Convention. The first act of the National Convention was to declare France as a republic on September 21, 1792. -
King Louis XVI is Executed
In September 1792, the monarchy was abolished and France was declared a Republic. King Louis XVI was charged with treason and found guilty. In January of 1793 he was driven through the streets of Paris to a guillotine and executed -
Robespierre and the Reign of Terror
Robespierre wanted to rid France of all enemies of the Revolution and to protect the “virtue” of the nation. From September 1793 to July 1794, an estimated 16,000 people were guillotined. Many radicals were executed along with moderates. Most leaders of the French Revolution were now either dead or had fled the republic. -
The start of the Directory
After the fall of Robespierre, the National Convention created a new constitution for France that was implemented in 1795. Leading the new government was the Directory consisting of an executive council of five members. Almost from the start, the Directory was corrupt in corruption, in political conflict,and still had financial problems. The Directory depended on the army to remain in power, and they appointed Napoleon to lead them.
